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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23730445">Clean Hands</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/arie_barie/pseuds/arie_barie'>arie_barie</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Assassins - Fandom, Jinwoo - Fandom, Killer AU - Fandom, Kim Jinwoo - Fandom, Kpop - Fandom, Spys - Fandom, Winner (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 23:35:07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,882</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23730445</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/arie_barie/pseuds/arie_barie</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It wasn’t a perfect life but you had settled into contract killing as well as anyone could be expected to. But when a pink envelope shows up in your mailbox your forced to face a killer who didn’t have to force himself to settle. He was already very well suited to his job. About 4.9k</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Clean Hands</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Kitttyyy.” <br/>You closed your eyes and felt a chill up your spine. It wasn’t your actual name, that you kept to yourself. You went by a number instead, well they had assigned you a number. You went by 7 and he, the man who insisted on calling you Kitty had been 28. Before he had decided he was “bored” with the way they did things. When he left he had given you his real name, gigantic eyes close to your face. The brown in them was shining black and empty, “I want you to know Kitty,” his breath had brushed past your face. You stared into his eyes refusing to back down, “they gave me a number but I want you to know my name…” That chuckle, you shivered harder remembering the way his lips parted as he pronounced, “Jinwoo. Don’t forget it ok Kitty? I’m counting on you.” <br/>One single wink and he had been gone. You opened your eyes expecting him to be there, but you were alone in the room and there was a body at your feet. You’re phone buzzed, bringing the steps you had to complete starkly to light. You looked down at the body, a woman, a diplomat’s mistress, or something along those lines. They never gave a full story. You used the toe of your boot to push her over then pulled your phone out. <br/>	“Say cheese.” You said softly to yourself as you snapped the photo. It took you a moment to tap away at the screen to send it off for confirmation. Then you cleared out. </p>
<p>If you could give your honest opinion it would be this, you didn’t particularly like killing people but it seemed to be the only thing you were good at.You had been picked up in Juvenile Hall. People from work programs were interviewing prisoners turning 18. When you got out you would be on the streets, cold. So when a tall woman in an expensive dress swept in to speak to you, there was nothing you wouldn’t consider. As soon as she sat across from you at the metal table and pulled her sunglasses off you decided you wanted her life. You wanted the certainty. She didn’t worry about where her next meal would come from or if she was going to get out and have some place to go. You could tell she was warm through each winter. You wanted that. If only you had known what she was going to propose to you. She framed it well. <br/>“ If you pass the first assessment, you’ll go for a 3 year training program, your room and board will be covered completely…” The rest you hadn’t heard. She was talking you into a choice. How could you have known what sort of choice she was going to give? Of course you would say yes, anything to escape the detention center where you were treated like shit. You jumped, you leaped, and here you were, killing people. It helped to think of yourself not enjoying the act, of treating it like a chore.  <br/>Jinwoo on the other hand. There was a sort of internalized glee that lit his eyes when he got blood on his hands. He liked to stare at them sometimes, stare hard as blood dripped from the tips of his fingers. You had seen it with your own eyes and wondered what he thought. What in the hell could make his usual cold eyes spark like that? You had trained in a different class then his but you were both unique. You had been the only person to pass in your class, and Jinwoo had been the only person in his. Maybe that’s why they had you shadow him. Maybe they thought the two of you were the same?<br/> Your phone buzzed again as you walked away from the fancy apartment building. When you first started blood made you sick. You pulled your phone from your pocket again and answered. <br/>“Hello?” the sight of it leaking out of someone use to make your skin crawl. “Confirmed, off duty until further notice.” The sound of it dripping, the feel of it. You use to try desperately to keep your hands clean. You sighed, “Signing off then,” your boots made no noise as you went along, “location known.”</p>
<p>You didn’t have very far to walk to get to your own apartment building. They had set it all up for you. The rent paid by them under a different name, and you never had to worry about privacy. You were allowed to go wherever you wanted more or less. But lucky for them you were a homebody. You enjoyed the stability of your apartment, the warmth of it. This space belonged to you. You rushed through the lobby, more than ready to climb the stairs and be safe. You had almost made it to the stairs when you remembered your mailbox. One detor, then you could wrap yourself in a blanket with a nice hot cup of tea, maybe lemon you thought as you put your key into the mailbox lock. You looked inside and your eyes widened. </p>
<p>“Kitty, sooner or later…”<br/>There were two white envelopes and one pink one on your coffee table. The white ones didn’t worry you, They were normal, they were full of money. It was the pink envelope that was making you uncomfortable. Your heart was beating fast. </p>
<p>“Sooner or later they’ll ask one of us to…” <br/>Your apartment felt like it was shrinking. The walls felt tight as you stared down at your coffee table. This shouldn’t make you feel this sinking feeling. This was just part of the job. But this was Jinwoo...you shook your head, 28. Better to think of the number not the person. The number would make this easier. You tried not to picture him too clearly him and his wide eyes. You leaned forward and picked the pink envelope up. You hoped it wasn’t what you thought it was. Maybe it was a legitimate piece of mail? Maybe you were worried over nothing. Or Maybe if it was what you thought it was, 28 wouldn’t be involved. It had been 2 years since he had disappeared and you figured they were just going to let him go. You took a breath as the card came free of the envelope.  A greeting card printed on paper colored like flames. You took a breath then opened it. <br/>	“Burn Baby Burn!...” The song started, blaring loudly in your quiet apartment. There was short dumb birthday message inside. You didn’t read it, only focused on the underlined number in the sentence. <br/>	“Fuck,” the word was drowned out by the song starting again. You closed the card and threw it onto the floor. They had such a sick sense of humor. The card was an order, the number 28 printed boldly in the sentence and underlined. They wanted you to go out and kill a killer. <br/>	“Fuck!” You took the first thing your hand landed on and chucked it across the room. Why you? Why not anyone else? Why in the world were they dragging you into it? You threw your fancy throw pillows, the candle on your coffee table, the envelopes. You laid yourself on your couch and tried to focus. Tried your best to just think about what you had to do, not what had come before. He had warned you that this was going to happen, that eventually killers are killed by each other. You blinked at you ceiling and remembered that day. <br/>“I like it…” he paused to wipe blood off of his face. <br/>“Like what?” You had asked. Compared to him you were pristine. They had trained you to stay clean. You stared at the body on the floor, the blood oozed in a slow puddle. They had sent you along with him for a few kills. They framed it as on the job training. <br/>“I like when they go quietly. I hate when people beg me with lies.” He turned towards you a red stain on his perfect skin. He smiled, then his expression shifted. It was so clear to you, the fluidity of his face, even though it had been years…<br/>“Then again,” he had said, his thinking face drawing you in. That was the real problem. The way you were so easily drawn into him. He wiped his hands on the bottom of his shirt. “Every so often someone does say something entertaining.” He granted. <br/>“What’s the most interesting thing you’ve ever heard?” You asked as you stepped around the blood. Your phone was out. <br/>“A man once told me that he had the most beautiful daughter and if I let him live she would marry me.” He had chuckled. His face shifting again into complete glee. <br/>“You should have gone for it. Nice normal life,” you snapped a picture of the body as you spoke. It was already easier to stare death in the face. “You could’ve had a picket fence.” You added. He had let out a full blown laugh then. He was bright as he shook with the force of it. <br/>“Picket fence?!” He got out, “Kitty! You’re really funny!” He shouted. <br/>“Don’t call me Kitty.” You warned as you sent the picture off for confirmation. His little nickname was dangerous to you. Something in you even back then knew it was a bad idea. You had looked at him. His face was settled, pleasant. His dark eyes watching you back and they were so...empty. What was behind them? What was he keeping so secret?<br/>“Tell me your real name and I’ll call you that instead.” He had offered. <br/>“Call me 7.” You pushed. His nose had scrunched in what you guessed was irritation. He shook his head. <br/>“Get use to Kitty, cause I’m not calling you 7.” <br/>“Why not?” You asked. It seemed liked you had been in the apartment for too long. You were going to leave too much evidence. <br/>“Because I knew the old 7 and I didn’t like him,” he supplied, he had stepped around you and pulled the phone easily from your hands. You frowned at his back.<br/>“What happened to him?” You couldn’t fight your curiosity. An old 7? No one had told you that you had replaced anyone. <br/>“I killed him.” He turned and you were certain he wanted to see your expression as he said it. Your eyes had been wide and it took everything not to take a step back. <br/>“Don’t look so shocked Kitty, sooner or later I’m sure they’ll ask one of us to kill the other.” He seemed happy about the idea. His smile stretching from ear to ear. <br/>“Don’t smile about it!” You didn’t want to kill him and you definitely didn’t want him assigned to kill you. He had shrugged off your concern, “just make sure you tell me something interesting when my hand is around your throat.” </p>
<p>You covered your face on your couch and groaned. You weren’t planning on dying. Life had gotten better and you needed to enjoy it for a bit. You were owed that weren’t you? You didn’t suffer through a shitty childhood, get nearly killed in training, just to die while Jinwoo smiled at you. <br/>“I’m going to kill you.” You said softly to yourself. His smile flashed through your mind again. You weren’t going to lose. In fact you had very good chances because as far as you knew he didn’t know you were coming. Somewhere on the floor your phone was buzzing. You slapped you hand around, feeling for it, praying that it was a reassignment call. When you picked it up there was a message from an unknown number, “Kitty! Aren’t you excited? We get to see each other again after all this time! Do your best, you know I hate to be bored. &lt;3” <br/>You were suddenly too tired to figure out how he knew already. They must have leaked it as a curtesy maybe? You threw your phone because everything had gotten 10x harder. So much for the element of surprise.</p>
<p>He smiled down at his phone. He knew you wouldn’t answer but he had sent it anyway. Technically he was helping you, now you knew he knew that you were coming. Hopefully you would put on a good show for him. He wanted to wowed, wanted to see how much you had grown since you last shadowed him. He looked out on the city from his balcony, legs hanging over the edge, breath steaming in the cold. He of course had no intention of dying. In fact, he was certain he would kill you, but before he did he wanted to ask you one easy question.  <br/>When he had first seen you there was something about the way you looked through everything.You had held his eyes when you were introduced, stayed firm even when he smiled his most unsettling smile. They had assigned you to shadow him through several missions before you were given any of your own. He had wondered while you followed him around if you could see through him too? What was it you saw? He was curious, he didn’t know much about himself besides the fact that he was good at killing. He wondered if you saw anything else? </p>
<p>They had always taught you to “know your kill.” You knew for a fact that Jinwo- no, 28, was very particular about being bored. If he perceived your plan as boring you would have less time to end him. He was fast, and better at hand to hand combat then you were. You would have to keep him at a distance. You prepared your pack thinking of him as just another job. <br/>“Just a number…” you chanted as you screwed the silencer onto you gun. You packed it along with extra clips, and your favorite set of throwing knives. Distance, your whole strategy was about keeping a good enough space between the two of you. It made no sense to stalk him. It would be better to set up a space that was in your control. You packed a set of gloves and heard his stupid voice again, “there’s no real point in keeping your hands clean Kitty.”     <br/>You closed your eyes and tired to refocus. If he was in your head this much you would stand no chance. You would look at him face to face and fail. Well not fail, you would look at him face to face and die. <br/>You spent the next few days scouting locations. The work kept the memories of 28 at bay. If you stayed in your apartment you found yourself remembering those missions. </p>
<p>“Why did you start doing this?” <br/>He had asked you once while the two of you stood in an alley and waited for the target to appear. <br/>“It was this or living on the streets again. I wanted to be warm that winter...” You said truthfully. It hadn’t dawned on you that you were trading lives for your comfort. But the world did that anyway in a round about way. Billionaires did it all the time without caring. You didn’t want to be rich. Just warm, just fed. Your goals were simple. The woman with the long brown hair and the expensive purse had wasted her time in a way speaking about all the things you could own.   He had nodded and smiled, “Kitty, you’re so practical. No wonder they picked you.” <br/>“Why did they pick you?” You had asked. He made a thoughtful face. No one must have asked him before. It took him a while to consider. So long that you had thought he wasn’t going to answer. <br/>“They picked me because they knew…” He started. But then the man you were sent to kill had emerged from the office building with two huge body guards. <br/>“Oh, time to work.” He said instead. You never asked him about it again but you still wondered. Was it because they knew that he liked it? Questions like these you shouldn’t go over in your mind. </p>
<p>He was getting impatient. You hadn’t been stalking him, in fact your location had been erratic and nowhere near his own. He tracked you easily and found it frustrating that you weren’t moving towards him. Were you going to ignore the notice? Were you making plans to leave like he did? He never pegged you for a coward. Not like the old 7. You were better he thought.</p>
<p>“She’s very practical. Very thorough.” He had told your recruiter. They asked him his opinion after you shadowed him all that time. The woman had written everything he said down. <br/>“What about skill?” She had asked. <br/>“Quick. Good technique though she has an aversion to blood which is kind of adorable.” He said. He had smiled because it was one of the first things he noticed about you. You had an odd need to keep you hands clean. Which in theory was impossible in your line of work. <br/>“So you’re signing her off then?” He asked the woman. <br/>“Yes. She’s cleared now for solo missions. Thank you for your feedback.” She had said simply. He had watched as she packed everything up very quickly, her eyes never meeting his. Usually people didn’t look him in the eye. You didn’t have that problem though. Your eyes stayed on his even when he did his best to creep you out. <br/>He paced his apartment until he couldn’t stand it anymore. He left in a black hoodie at dusk, intending to find you and ask you what in the hell was taking so long. Didn’t you want to see who would win this fight? He knew exactly where you lived, it wasn’t a far drive from his own apartment. It was almost comical how close he stayed even after leaving the organization. No one came after him. He thought he would be attacked from all sides but...nothing. He had gathered that they didn’t want to waste the man power. So the two years he had been gone he still worked. People still wanted other people killed and were very willing to pay. Not having a middle man made his life much easier. He didn’t report kills to anyone on the phone, just told the buyer that the job was done and collected the other half of what was usually a very hefty payout. There were no other moody killers to worry over or annoying handlers and recruiters asking stupid questions. Just him. <br/>He parked his car two blocks from your apartment. He pulled the gun he kept in the glove compartment and tucked it into his pants. The streets were quiet, he walked up the blocks noticing how everything was closing down. The cafe across from your building was just locking up. The lights just snapping off, and there you were standing across the street sipping from a cup. He raised his hand in a wave as your eyes widened with recognition. <br/>“Kitty!” He called.<br/>You eyes went from wide to narrow in seconds. Not a hint of fear, how refreshing. The light changed and he started to walk over. <br/>“I got so bored waiting, I figured I would come and find you.” He explained. You lowered the cup from your lips and shrugged. <br/>“Sorry, I had other things on my mind.” You said as an excuse. He frowned unable to stop himself from asking, “what other things Kitty?” <br/>“None of your business.” You said softly. You took another sip and then sighed, “are we going to do this here or…” you trailed off. He took a step back a little stunned by your nonchalance. He expected you to be a little concerned about him showing up. But so far you weren’t. <br/>“Two years of doing this has really calmed you huh?” He chuckled at his own joke. You watched him, he guessed you were weighing your options. <br/>“Let’s go to the park.” You finally said as you turned on your heel, “I wanna take a walk.” <br/>He followed you without protest. His curiosity got the better of him. <br/>“How have you been?” You asked. You were a little a head of him. How trusting, he could pull his gun out, he could end it all. But instead he answered as if you were old friends, “good,” he picked up a stick from the path and began to play with it, “what about you?” He asked. <br/>“The same, everything’s been going really well actually,” you took another sip and sighed, “which is why this is so annoying.” <br/>“You aren’t ready to die?” He asked in a teasing tone. <br/>“I don’t necessarily want to kill you Jinwoo.” <br/>He opened his mouth to respond but dodged your coffee cup instead. Before he could orient himself, pain from his side clouded his vision. When in the hell did you learn to kick someone so hard. He opened his eyes and caught you sprinting into the trees and bushes. Fast as a flash. He put his hand on the gun at his waste and stood slowly, wincing. Running, he hadn’t pegged you as being one of those. <br/>“Kitty!” He called. His steps assured as he walked after you, “are we playing hide and go seek?!” He shouted. He stopped at the edge of the path where you had disappered and judged the thickness of it. He pulled his gun all the way out, “I suppose you aren’t ready to die.” He said to himself.  He guessed you were trying to make it to your apartment and if he was lucky it would be simple to cut you off. He put his gun back away and took off running, holding his side. He was right to come and find you. Of course his Kitty was going to make this interesting. </p>
<p>All of your supplies were in your bag left right at your front table. You were no where near prepared to see him standing across  the street from you. Your heart pounded as he smiled and waved. It all felt like it was happening too fast but then your training kicked in. Your mind jolted into seeing him as a target. You remained calm, you greeted him. He looked exactly the same, handsome, shoulders broad, and eyes wide. They bored into you as he got closer. You had to kill him. He had done nothing to you but you had to do it. <br/>The park was your best bet. You guessed he had a gun and even though you were pretty certain he wouldn’t shoot you, the possibility loomed. So you threw the coffee and took to the trees. <br/>“Kitty!” His voice called. You kept your legs pumping, because really the distance between the park and your buillding was nothing. An easy sprint. You cleared the trees.<br/>“Found you!” <br/>You leaned back on instinct avoiding the knife that would have cut into your neck. This was exactly what you were afraid of. Close combat. He moved in a flurry, knife poised to stab and slash. You kept clear of it but just barely. <br/>“You’ve gotten so good.” He praised right as he opened a cut on your arm. You took an opening and punched him so hard enough to stun. You pivoted around him then took off for your apartment again at a full sprint. <br/>“Don’t shoot me, don’t shoot me…” you chanted between each breathe. It would have been a bit funny if you were on the outside looking in. You were never this sloopy, running away with no cover. Who were you? But it didn’t matter, you were thundering through the lobby. You mind distantly registering the sound of glass shattering. You spared a glance over your shoulder and saw him lowering the gun. The corner of his mouth was bleeding, and his perfect skin was beginning to darken with a bruise. You nearly stopped completely when you saw the look on his face. It was pure happiness, glee as he chased you. His eyes were sparking like you had never seen. <br/>“Where are you running to?” He called as he got closer. You ignored him, running past the elevators and heading straight for the stairs. <br/>“I don’t care if your place is a little messy Kitty,” his voice sounded so close. It felt like you were going at light speed, taking the stairs two at a time. He was keeping up with no issue. Your lungs were burning but there was no alternative. <br/>“You don’t have to rush to clean up.” He laughed as he climbed up after you. Somehow his boots on the stairs were louder then your labored breathes. Third floor. You slammed through the heavier steel your body stiffened when you heard the shot echo in the stairwell. You looked up, he had fired wide and the bullet had embedded in the doorway above your head. You had to get the gun away from him. You slammed the door closed and took a breath hoping against hope that he would push it open with all his might. You had to time it just right. You braced yourself, when his body slammed into the door and it began to swing in towards you, you kicked it back with all your might moving at the same time. It thudded back into his body, he grunted then cursed when he felt your hands on his wrists twisting, pulling, until the gun was free. He held his hands up as you faced him. <br/>“Are you going to shoot me Kitty?” He asked. There wasn’t one hint of worry on his face. It infuriated you. <br/>“Am I a pet to you? A joke? Is that why you call me Kitty?” You asked as your breaths shuddered out of your chest. He cocked his head, “a pet?” He echoed. You took a step back. Pull the trigger. Whatever he thought of you didn’t matter. All you had to do was pull the trigger to keep your life. Everything would stay the same if you just closed you eyes and, <br/>“I never thought of you as a pet, or a joke.” He said. He was getting closer. You needed to keep the distance. His arms were so long, his legs even longer. You kept moving back. Where had all your stupid resolve gone?<br/>“Cat’s don’t like it when their paws get wet…” He began, “and you don’t like when blood gets on your hands, you make this little face.” <br/>He scrunched his nose in an attempt to imitate you. <br/>“That’s why you call me Kitty?” You asked dumbfounded. He seemed to enjoy your expression. Another smile lighting up his face. <br/>“I don’t want to kill you.” You said clearly. <br/>“I know.” He said. <br/>“But you’re ok with killing me?” You asked. This stumped him for a moment. He frowned, “I could have killed you twice already…” he scratched at the back of his neck, “but it seemed like such a waste.” <br/>“A waste?” Your mind hadn’t settled, if you didn’t pull the trigger everything that had happened to you would be a waste. His hand closed around the gun barrel startling you. Now or never. You squeezed, the noise like a sonic boom in the hallway. His eyes widened then he laughed. He was close enough to grab your throat and he did. He pulled you even closer as his hand tightened. <br/>“Leave it to me Kitty.” He whispered in your ear. You struggled, your body fighting as your vision began to tunnel. You could kick harder, fight harder, scream even but you gave up. Maybe this was your karma?</p>
<p>You went limp and he immediately dropped you. There were voices in the hallway. He took the gun you had dropped and spoke clearly, “if I raise my head and see any of you I’ll shoot. Close your doors and go back inside.” <br/>No one responded. He only heard the sounds of locks clicking into place. He liked to be listened to, especially when he was in pain. You shot him in the arm and it did indeed hurt. <br/>“Stay still Kitty,” he titled your head up a bit exposing the blooming bruise on your neck. He had squeezed hard but had stopped just short of killing you. He pulled out his phone and snapped a picture of you lying limp, looking very dead. He knew what number to send it to. <br/>“Try again.” He typed. Then he reached down for you, even with his hurt arm he was able to get you up. He couldn’t carry you the two blocks to his car but he knew you lived on this floor. He also knew you would have a very well equipped first aid kit. His plan wasn’t well formed, this whole day had really gone off the rails for him.  At the very least, he needed to know your real name before he seriously considered killing you. After that he couldn’t guarantee he wouldn’t get bored. But then again, he looked down at you and chuckled a little remember how frustrated you were when he explained his nickname. Then again, maybe not.</p>
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